FREMANTLE’S street arts festival is extending from three to four days with performances on Good Friday.

Theatres and pubs have traditionally been closed on the first day of Easter, but festival organiser Brendan Coleman says times have changed and “we are culturally ready”.

This year’s festival will have more roving acts and after-dark performances in the city centre, and will extend down High Street with street closures to Mouat Street in the West End. The West End Weekender will see High Street come alive with food vans, puppet shows, fashion parades, and live music: “We have a lot of local music designed to get people dancing in the street,” Mr Coleman says.

The festival has an international line-up and includes artists from Spain, Belgium, the UK and US, Lithuania, Sweden, Japan and Hungary.

But the Cirquepop ladies — acrobatic performers with an extreme hooping habit — are local and hail from Fremantle.

Leave the credit card at home and bring cash to toss in the hat for the 19th annual street arts festival, April 13–17.

by JENNY D’ANGER